Iowa man finds 5 inches of animal blood flooding basement

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BAGLEY, Iowa (AP) — Blood may be thicker than water, but it’ll still flood your basement.

Nick Lestina found this out the hard way two weeks ago when he discovered 5 inches (13 centimeters) of blood, fat and other animal tissue flooding his family’s basement in Bagley, which is about 45 miles (72 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines. He told the Des Moines Register that he hasn’t been able to clean it up because it’s still seeping in.

The waste is coming from a neighboring meat locker, where blood and tissue from slaughtered animals was washed down a drain. Officials say a clog or break in the pipe sent the waste into Lestina’s basement through a floor drain.

A state environmental specialist traced the waste to Dahl’s Custom Meat Locker and says the company is now pumping its into a large tank.